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About

Rui Prada is a prominent researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, social robotics, and affective computing, whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how artificial agents can engage meaningfully with humans. With his most cited paper, "The Influence of Empathy in Human–Robot Relations" (2012, 328 citations), Prada established empathy as a cornerstone capability for socially intelligent robots, demonstrating how emotionally responsive machines can build more authentic and effective relationships with people. His research consistently explores how robots and virtual agents can operate within complex social dynamics, including team collaboration, prosocial behaviour, and persuasion. Studies such as "Group-based Emotions in Teams of Humans and Robots" and "Exploring Prosociality in Human-Robot Teams" reveal his sustained interest in multi-agent social environments and cooperative decision-making. Prada has also made significant contributions to educational robotics, investigating how robotic peers can support children's learning through the learning-by-teaching paradigm. A particularly notable achievement is his development of the FAtiMA Toolkit, an accessible framework enabling researchers and developers worldwide to build socio-emotional agents. Across more than a decade of influential publications, Prada's work has shaped how the field conceptualises artificial empathy, social presence, and emotionally intelligent human-machine collaboration.